South Africa Topple Australia to Claim Test Top Spot
A 176-run win at Newlands sealed a 2-1 series comeback and ended Australia’s long hold on the ICC Test summit.
South Africa have moved to the top of the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings after completing a 2-1 home series win over Australia. The decisive result came in Cape Town, where the hosts won the final Test by 176 runs at Newlands.
After losing the opener in Durban by 214 runs, South Africa responded with an innings-and-31-run victory in Gqeberha. In the third Test, they posted 329 and 387 to set Australia 288, then bowled the visitors out for 111. Simon Harmer took a career-best 6/16, while Kagiso Rabada claimed three wickets and reached 350 Test wickets.
The series outcome ends Australia’s two-and-a-half-year stay at No. 1. South Africa now lead the table with 124 rating points, two ahead of Australia on 122.